As part of our class, we are memorizing and reciting the 23rd Psalm in Hebrew. In English, the Psalm reads:
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
(New International Version)
Eugene Peterson (also from Regent College) has rendered the New Testament along with Psalms and Proverbs in contemporary English. His version of Psalm 23 reads:
God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.
Even when the way goes through Death Valley,
I am not afraid when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure.
You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.
Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.
I'm bck home in the house of God for the rest of my life.
(The Message)
In Hebrew, the Psalm reads:
Here are recordings of Psalm 23 in Hebrew, as recited by our T.A., Ivan Khovacs. They are in RealAudio format. If you need one, you can download a free RealAudio player (you may have to poke around a bit to find the totally free basic version of the player).
If you will be using these recordings to learn the psalm, you will probably want to download them to your own computer so that you can listen while disconnected. Try right-clicking or shift-clicking on these links to see a manu that will let you "Save As..." to your computer.